Apparatus for forming and projecting bubbles



Nov. 19, 1957 P. CONSOLO 2,813,361

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND PROJECTING BUBBLES Filed Jan. 17, 1956 sSheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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Nov 19,195? P. CON SOLO 2,813,361

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND PRQJECTING BUBBLES Filed Jan. 17, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 3 V INVENTOR. 9- PHIZUP'UONSULO .6616 JTZWRNEYS,

United States Patent O ARPARATUS ronrormuso. ANDPROJECTING BuBBLEs:

Phillip Conml'o, Evergreen Park, Ill. ApplicationJanuary 17, 1956,SerialN0. 559,560

2"Claims. (Cl.40-126) Thisinventionrelates to'garr apparatusfor formingand projecting bubbles andhas for its principal object the provision ofaconstruction' of this character which will be highly efficient in useand economical in manufacture.

An important object of theinvention is the provision of anapparatusespecially adapted for use" in places of resultingin thefloating of the bubbles slowly and gently in the air for a considerablelength of time before bursting, thus adding; totheattraetionandentertainment of the observers.

Still another object" of 'thei'nventi'on is the provision of a bubbleproducing and projecting apparatus which may be used to provide anattractive and aesthetic background for acts of entertainment orexhibitions, as well as an advertising medium.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a bubbleproducing and projecting apparatus of such construction as to be compactand portable.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 2-2 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,illustrating the back wall thereof in open position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a hollow drum embodied in the invention.

In the drawings I have illustrated the preferred form of construction ofmy invention by which the several objects thereof are accomplished. Inthis connection, my invention includes a cabinet 10 mounted uponsuitable casters 11 to facilitate moving the cabinet 10 about. Thecabinet 10 includes side walls 12 each having a port hole 13 formedtherein.

The back wall 14 of the cabinet is hinged as at 15 to an adjacent sidewall 12. This back wall has a port hole 16 formed therein (Fig. 4).

ICC

The top wall of the. cabinet comprises a horizontal portion 17 andaninclined portion 18. Theinclined portion 18 hasa pair of rectangularlyshaped openings 19 formed therein. Hinged to the topwall as at 20 is adoor 21 which normally closes the openings 19" when the apparatus is notin operation, there being provided a suitable lock 22 for locking thedoor in, closed position. The back Wall 14 is normally locked in closedposition, and for that purpose there is provided a suitable lock 23.

The front wall 24 of the cabinet is inset as best shown in Figs. land 3;Beneath the top wall 17 is a shelf 25. On the shelf 25 in closeproximity to the openings '19 is a removable pan 26 which is adapted tocontain a bubble making solution of a well-known formula.

Operating within this pan 26 is a pair of drums 27. These drums arehollow in construction and each includes a Wall 28* and a ring 29,1 thering 29 being connected to and spaced from the wall 28' by crossbars 30(Fig. 6). These drumsZT-are each supported by a shaft 31, the shaftsupporting the-drum in a position so that alower portion of each drumwillrotate through the bubble making solution contained in the pan 26.The shafts 31 are eachrotatedby a motor 32 (Figs. 2 and 4). These motors32 are designed to rotate the drums 27 at that speed of rotation whichwill result in a film ofthe bubble solution enveloping the drums.

Projectinginto each of the drums through the ring 29 is a nozzle 33, theorifice of which is formed to provide an elongated slot 34 directed in adirection toward the periphery of the drums. These nozzles 33communicate with an elbow-shaped conduit 34' which in turn communicateswith a blower fan 35 suspended from beneath the shelf 25withi'n thecabinet 10 and operated by a motor 36 (Fig. 4). The speed of this motoris regulated by a suitable and conventional rheostat 37\(Figs. 3 and 4).Byadjusti n-g the rheostat 37, the motor 36 will be caused to rotate theblower fan at a proper speed sufficient to force air through the nozzles33 in the direction of the periphery of the drums 27 to form and detachtherefrom bubbles successively from the film of the bubble solutionenveloping the drums 27.

In order to lengthen the suspension of the bubbles in the air and toretard their downward movement, means is provided for moving the airwithin the entertainment or exhibition area where the bubbles are beingprojected. In the present instance, I prefer to accomplish this objectby providing in the front wall 24 an open grille 38. This grille 38comprises a plurality of louvers 39 (Figs. 1 and 3) which are rotatablysupported upon rods 40 and held in an adjusted position by springfingers 41. By adjusting these louvers 39 the direction of air emanatingfrom a blower fan 42 may be controlled. This blower fan 42 is arrangedwithin the cabinet 10 opposite the air ports 13.

The electric motors are connected in a suitable power circuit (notshown), in which circuit there is arranged a control switch 43.

When in use, the motors 32 will rotate the drums 27 with their lowerportions passing through the bubble solution contained in the pan 26.The blower fan 35 will blow air through the orifices 34 of the nozzles33 to form the bubble frornthe film of bubble solution enveloping thedrums 27. As the bubble is formed and released from each of the drums 27under air pressure from the nozzles 33, the bubbles will float upwardly.Their suspension in the air and direction of travel will be controlledby the air fro-m the blower fan 42, which is operated by a suitablemotor 44 (Fig. 4). a

The amount of air passing from the nozzles 33 is con trolled by therheostat 37. The blower fan 35 may be caused to rotate at a speedsufiicient to form the bubble from the film of solution on the drum 27and cause the detachment of such bubble from the rotating drum.

To control the direction of movement of the bubbles after they arereleased from the rotating drums 27, the louvers 39 may be adjusted tosuch position as is best suited for the purpose.

In order to drain the solution from the pan 26 after the apparatus hasbeen operated, there is provided a suitable drain hose 45. This hose 45,when the apparatus is in operation, is maintained in the position shownin Fig. 3, with the upper end 46 thereof supported above the level ofthe solution in the pan 26 and held in such position by a spring clip47.

My improved bubble formingand projecting apparatus may be used in manyplaces for the forming and blowing of bubbles about a given area. It hasbeen particularly designed and constructed for use at a place ofentertainment or exhibition where it is desired to produce the efiect offloating or drifting bubbles. The apparatus is compact in constructionand by reason of its being mounted on casters may be easily andconveniently moved about.

While I have emphasized that my improved bubble forming and projectingmachine is especially designed for use in places of entertainment orexhibition, such as theaters, dance halls, skating rinks and the like,it is obvious that such apparatus may be used for advertising purposesto attract the attention of observers and in any location to provide anaesthetic and attractive background which will hold the attention ofobservers.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for automatically forming and projecting bubblescomprising an open container having a bubble forming solution therein, ahollow drum having an open side rotatably mounted with the peripheralportion thereof rotatable through the solution to envelop the drum withsaid solution, blower means including a nozzle positioned within saiddrum to direct air in a stream radially out from the interior of thedrum to form a bubble from said solution and to efiect its detachmentfrom the drum, means for suspending the detached bubbles in the air andfor effecting their movement from said suspended position, saidlast-named means including a blower, a grille at the discharge end ofsaid blower including a plurality of adjustable louvers.

2. An apparatus for automatically forming and projecting bubblescomprising an open container having a bubble forming solution therein, ahollow drum having an open side rotatably mounted with the peripheralportion thereof rotatable through the solution to envelop the drum withsaid solution, blower means including a nozzle positioned within saiddrum to direct air in a stream radially out from the interior of thedrum to form a bubble from said solution and to effect its detachmentfrom the drum, means for regulating the amount of air to be blown bysaid blower means in said direction, and means for suspending thedetached bubbles in the air and for effecting their movement from saidsuspended position, said last named means including a blower and agrille at the discharge end of said blower including a plurality ofadjustable louvers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain June 28,

